I have prepared and uploaded two pages of beads.  I created these in another program... You should be able to find one you like maybe a set of them even.  Just use the trace or rectangle or oval or circle tools to select the bead you want.   Remember to stay just within its borders to keep from getting a white outter edge....  If you end up with a  white outter edge... just erase it.
Hope I have made this easy for you to understand.  Hope you enjoy it.
The two pages of beads....... links below this line.....
Bead Page 1
Bead Page 2
 
 
 
First thing you need to do is find a bead that you like... then make yourself a template for the name.
Easily done with using the text tool and choosing the font you wish and make it a nice size for the object it will be in the end.  As in this one I am creating a name logo.  This one is large enough to show my work, it small enough to use.
Note I used a light shade... so that my bead work will hide majority of the text.
 
I chose this bead off the first bead page.  I enlarge my name template using the percentage tool so I can get my work up close.  See the band around the bead.  That is for changing its size or rotating it.  To move it using PD3 graphics program... just have this band around it by clicking it once... then move your cursor over the image until you get an arrow... then left click hold and drag it where you want.  Don't forget to size it for the space your using it in.
 
 
Here you see how I have made it smaller and began placing my bead.
I also know that I will be using alot of this size right now so instead of copying and resizing the original bead continuously... I just copy and paste the small one I already sized.  so the next pasted bead will be the exact same size. I continue this till I need to resize it smaller.
 
Here you see I have the top row of the D done.... and began my line going down.  This shows I am moving the bead into position.
 
This shows the front part of the D is done.  Note the direction of the bead on the lower section change and went sorta side ways... thats because my line was thin there and I wanted to keep the look, so I click the rotate left tool, then moved it into place.  Knowing also I will use a few of this one, this size and position... I copy the last and paste it to move in after it.
 
 
Here is a shortcut I finally figured out. I first must merge my layers...Each bead and the template are seperate layers.... Merging them makes them one layer and therefore you can copy more than one bead at a time.
 I used the rectangle tool to select a section of the beads that I think will fit on most of the shorter straight areas of the remainder of the letters.  
After this line appears on the section I just copy paste and move the three as one unit to the spot I wish.  Note: if it is to long... use the eraser tool to remove the excess after pasting and moving it into place.
 
 
 
As you see below I am just puttin along...
 
Finished whew....... but I didn't like the upper right corner of the D so instead of messing things up... I try some filler...... yep bigger bead.
 
 
Now I don't know about the transparent gifs in other programs.  But in Photo Deluxe 3 it could stand some improvements.  I really enlarge the pic using the percentage here just to show you the gray pixels on parts of the outter edges of the letters.  Trust me... if you can see them with the naked eye... they will show a white fuzzy yucky edge on the final graphic.  Very hard to clean... So I make my image huge as below... use the eraser tool and a very small point and just click in the gray tones on the outter edge until its all cleaned up.
 
 
Now that my graphic is done and saved as a transparent gif... I like to test it before closing PD3... and losing my work... So...
After saving it... open Outlook Express... Get a new compose page like your going to email someone.  Click your cursor in the body where the text would go... then click insert picture.  And go to the transparent gif you just saved and get it.  Now you are ready to test it on all kinds of page colored backgrounds.  If it appears messy... PD3 is still open... go fix it... and resave it as a tranparent gif as before and save it as the exact same name as before ... when asked to replace say yes... Now on your compose page back in Outlook Express click the view tab or edit tab... the one your not on....... then go back and the new image should take its place.
 
 
 
 
For my partner
 
Next I will show you how to create those bead toppers I have been doing.  Its really easy.  Just find the image you wish to use... something sparkly looks great.  You can use more than one image.  I chose this nice gem...
 
Create a holder for the strings of beads...  I created mine by pasting and placing it ....... several times.... Till I sorta got an idea of a high and low point to string my beads on.  Then I need a string.  I use the line tool set on 1... and chose a color to match my bead.  And you see my one bead to the right of this image.  Thats the only two things I use to make my bead topper.  Note: the line and bead are away from the topper.... on purpose to perfect and be able to copy and paste it... and erase that section when I am done with it.
 
 
Copy paste the bead into place on the one line... yep I only use one line and one string of beads....... so most of my work is already done for this.  Notice below the odd shapes I got from my one bead by moving the little thingy in or flattening it.    Once my one string is done... I must merge my layers again.  Don't worry about the line and one bead over there on the side... You can tend to it when your done....
 
Now that all the layers are merged and the pic is one unit again... I can use the rectangle tool to surrond the one line and beads I placed on it off to the side.  Then copy...... then paste....(this is a new layer and movable)  Then I drag the string into place..... once in place ..... I right click and paste again and move that one.....etc....... till my topper is done......
Now that they are all in place..... See the lines on and extending above the topper section....... Simple enough ....... these are still individual layers... click one and select the eraser tool and erase the excess..... it will not harm the  underlying layer.  Click the next one and erase its excess continue until done.
Kewl..... Now merge your layers again
 
  Its time to trim your image... you want to get as close as possible on the outter edges of the topper... so that when you use it in a scroll stationery it will touch itself.  If you left it as below... there would be a major gap...... so trim in close.  Wow is that line and single gem still on the page?  If so......erase it.  Your done with it.
 
 
 
Be sure to save it as a transparent gif.......

On Black Background

 
 
 
And thats how I make those.  Just practice and have patience.
 
This tutorial and all Images Copyrighted By: CherokeeCandy-OE stationery